Leeds Workhouse Rules (1771)

RULES AND ORDERS
FOR
Relieving and Employing the POOR
OF THE
Township of LEEDS:
AND
FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE
WORKHOUSE THERE.

At a Meeting of the CHURCHWARDENS and
OVERSEERS of the POOR for the Township of
LEEDS, and of the principal Inhabitants in
Vestry assembled, the 9th Day of MAY, 1771.

It is agreed that the following Rules for the ordering,
relieving, lodging, keeping, maintaining, and
employing the Poor of the said Township; and
also the Rules and Orders for the due Government
of the Workhouse, now established in the
said Township, shall be pursued and put in Force.

1. THAT the Government of the Poor in or belonging to the Township of Leeds,
shall be vested in the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor for the Time being,
with twelve of the principal Inhabitants of the said Township, to be chosen as hereafter directed.

2. That on Sunday next, Six Trustees for the
Workhouse be chosen by the Inhabitants of the
Township, in Vestry at the Parish-Church, for one Year; and that on every second Sunday in
November, and second Sunday in May hereafter,
Six New Trustees shall be chosen as aforesaid, and in Case of other Vacancies, that so many more may be chosen for Half a Year as are requisite to fill up such Vacancies, notice of such Vacancies being given on the Sundays preceding, and on the Morning
of the Days of Election of such Trustees, in the Parish-Church and Chapels in the Town.

3. That the Churchwardens, Overseers of the
Poor and Trustees do meet every Wednesday, at
the Workhouse at Two o'Clock in the Afternoon,
to relieve, admit, and discharge the Poor in the
said Township; and that five or more of them
shall constitute a Committee in all Cases, except
where otherwise directed.

4. That no Churchwarden or Overseer of the
Poor of this Township shall relieve any of the Poor
therein with the public Money, except on sudden
and emergent Occasions, and that for one Week
only, and to report to the next Committee, on
pain of not being allowed in their Accounts such
Money as shall be advanced on such Occasion;
and no such Payment to be repeated, unless ordered
by the next Committee to be continued.

5. That no Person be admitted into the House
without the Authority of the Committee, except
on sudden and emergent Occasions, in which
Cases, the Master shall have Power to receive such
Persons, and keep them in the House till the succeeding Wednesday, upon their producing to and leaving with him an Order for that Purpose, signed by three of the Committees.

6. That the Master return Weekly to the Committee the Names of all Persons admitted into or
discharged from the House, and of such as have
left the House without the Consent of the Committee
or Master, since the holding of the former
Committee.

7. That the Churchwardens and Overseers take
an Account of the Goods and Effects of such Persons as shall be ordered and come into the House, and that they dispose of the same as they shall be
directed by the Committee.

8. That such Persons, who neglect to come to
the House, after they have been ordered by the
Committee so to do, be allowed no Subsistence or
Pay whatsoever, nor be admitted· without the Order of the Committee immediately. preceding such Admission.

9. That the Churchwardens and Overseers
the Poor in their several Divisions, strictly inquire
after all Women suspected to be with Child of
Bastard Children, and in Case they are Inmates,
with all convenient Expedition cause such Women
Inmates to be carried before two or more Justices
of the Peace, to be examined touching their place
of Settlement, and apply for Orders of Removal;
and that at the End of one Month next after any
Woman shall be delivered of a Bastard Child, likely
to become chargeable to this Township, the said
Officers in their respective Divisions shall cause
such Woman to appear before two such Justices,
in order to make a Filiation, and to be proceeded
against as the said Justices shall direct .

10. That no Midwife be paid for the Delivery
of any poor Person out of the House, without a
previous Order for that Purpose from one of the
Committees; and that Such Order be reported to
the next Committee after Delivery.

11. That no poor Persons out of this House be
supplied with Coffins at the Expence of the Township, unless they procure and leave with the Master of this House, an Order for that Purpose, signed by three Committees.

12. That the Churchwardens and Overseers in
their respective Divisions; once in every Year;
take an Account of such poor Persons residing in
this Township, as have no legal Settlements therein,
commonly called Inmates, and that they make
a List of their Names, of the Number of their
Families, their Occupations, how many Years they
have resided in the Township, distinguish the
Places of their Settlements, and receive into their
Hands all Certificates of the Settlements of Inmates,
and deliver the same to the Committee before
they go out of Office.

13. That the Churchwardens and Overseers in
the Month of November in every Year, shall make
a Return of such Inhabitants in their several Divisions, as are proper to have poor Apprentices put out to.

14. That a Treasurer be appointed by the Committee
from Time to Time.

15, That the Master of the Workhouse for the
Time being, be chosen by the Inhabitants of the
Township, in Vestry at the Parish-Church,
ten Days Notice having been previously given;
and that in Case of Misbehaviour, he may be suspended by a Committee consisting of fourteen Committees; and that a Vestry be called within fourteen Days after such Suspension, to determine
upon his Discharge or Re-admission.

16. That an Apothecary from Time to Time,
be chosen by the Committee, to supply .the Poor
in this House, or when specially ordered by the
Committee, in or belonging to this township,
with Medicines, and in Cases of Surgery, at such
Salary as shall be agreed upon.

17. That two Providers be from Time to Time
appointed by the Committee out of their own Body, to purchase Corn, Butcher's Meat, Cheese,
Butter, Salt, and other Provisions of good Kind
and Quality, for the Use of the House.

18. That Two Surveyors be from Time to Time
appointed by the Committee out of their Own Body,
who are to inspect the Provisions, to buy and
distribute the Cloathing, to buy Wool for Woolsey,
to inspect the Work-Room, to examine the
Condition of the House and Utensils, and order
the necessary Repairs thereof.

19. That all the Beds be made by the Nurses
in the Morning, and every Room and, Passage
swept, and clean'd by eleven, and that they, ,be
wash'd twice a Week in Summer, and once in Winter;
and that the Dishes be washed twice a
Day or oftner, by the Cooks, .and the Dining Room
Tables be washed every Day.

20. That on the First Wednesday after Lady
Day, Midsummer, Michaelmas, and Christmas
in every Year, two or more of the Committee
be appointed to inspect and examine the Accounts
of the Treasurer and Master, and they ate desired
to sign the fame, and make their Report to the
Committee, on the Wednesday. Fortnight next
after such respective Appointments.

21. That the Master for the Time being keep
a Daily and Weekly Account, in a. Book to be
provided for that Purpose, of each Person's Work
in Spinning and other Manufactures done in the
House; and also of such In-Pensioners as work
Abroad, and the Wages to be paid on account
of their work.

22. That the Nurses shall have all the children
under their Care, washed, combed and cleaned by
Ten o'Clock every Morning; and that such Children be taught to read,
and work (as their several
Capacities will bear,) in such Manufactures as may
be most useful and beneficial for the public Good;
and that the Nurses repair their own and Childrens
Linen and Cloaths, to keep them decent and
clean; and in Case of Disobedience or Misbehaviour of any of the Children, such Children shall be corrected by the Master.

23. That Prayers be read in the public Dining Room,
every Morning before Breakfast, and every
Evening before Supper; and that Grace be duly
said at Dinner and Supper.

24. That all the Poor in this House who are
able do attend Prayers, sit decently at their Meals,
avoid talking, and make no attempt to go out of
the Dining-Room till Thanks are returned, and
in Default in any of these Particulars, to lose their
next Meal.

25. That all Persons in Health be kept to such,
work as they can best perform, according to their
several Ages and Abilities, from Lady-Day to
Michaelmas, from Six in the Morning to Six at
Night, (Meal Times excepted) and during the residue
of the Year, such Hours as the Master from
Time to Time shall appoint; and if any grown
Person refuse to work, the Person so offending shall
be kept on Bread and ·Water, or expelled the
House.

26. That in Case any Person in the House shall
pretend to be sick, lame, or otherwise indisposed,
with an Intent to be excused working, such Imposters
when discovered, or adjudged by the Committee
so to be, shall be carried before a Magistrate
in order to be punished as the Law directs.

27. That no Fires be kept in any of the Wards;
(except in extraordinary Cases) from the 1st Day of
May to the 29th of September. That from the
29th of September till the 1st of May, there shall
be allowed for the keeping of Fires in the Work-.
Room and Long-Room, two Corves of Coals to
each Room weekly; and to the other Wards, one
Corf for each Fire: And it is ordered, that the
Fires in every Ward be put out each Night at 8
o'Clock; and that no Candles be allowed to be
burnt in any of the Lodging Wards; except in
Cases of Sickness; and that the Poor go to Bed
each Night upon the ringing of the Evening bell.

28. That the Porter take no Fee, Gratuity, or
Reward of any Person or Persons whatsoever for
Admittance into, or for going out of the said
House, on pain of being displaced by the Committee,
on Proof of such Misdemeanor; and if such
Porter shall suspect any of the Poor, or any others
who shall come to them, of bringing in any Ale,
Brandy, Rum, or other Spirituous Liquors, or
carrying out any Cloaths, Linen, Victuals, or
other Things belonging to the House, or to any
of the Poor therein, he shall stop such Persons,
and give immediate Notice to the Master.

29. That no Person in this House, on any Pretence
whatsoever, shall presume to go out of the
House without a Ticket for that Purpose from
the Master or Mistress, on Pain of being discharged;
and in Case any of the Poor maintained
in this House shall carry any Bread, Cheese, or
other Provisions without Leave from the Master
out of the common Dining-Room, or give, sell,
or otherwise dispose of the same to any Person,
they shall be prosecuted for such Offence, and
punished; and that every Person buying
or receiving any Bread, Cheese, or other Provisions,
so stolen or carried out of this House, shall be
prosecuted for receiving the same; and that every
such Person stealing or removing with Intent to
imbezzle any Goods, Money, or Cloaths belonging
to the House, or to any Person therein, shall
be carried before one or more Justices of the Peace
for this Borough, to be punished according to law.

30. That no Ale, Brandy, Rum, or other spirituous
Liquors be brought into the House; and
to prevent Disturbances in the House, by brawling, quarrelling, fighting, or abusive Language, that the Offenders do lose one Day's Meat for the First Offence, and for the Second to be put into the
Dungeon, there to remain twenty-four Hours; that if any poor Persons going out into the Town
by Leave as aforesaid, shall get drunk or otherwise misbehave themselves,
every such Person or Persons upon Proof thereof made, shall be punished
as the Committee shall direct.

31. That the Persons in the House endeavour
to preserve Peace, good Order, and Unity therein;
that they look upon themselves as one Family,
and to prevent Disputes which may arise from
telling Lies, the Offender shall by Order of the
Master, be set and stand upon a Stool in the
Dining-Room during Dinner-Time, with a Paper
fixed on his or her Breast, whereon shall be written,
Infamous Liar, and also shall lose that Meal.

32. That the Names of all such Persons in this
House as misbehave themselves by fighting, or
by breaking or destroying any Goods or Utensils
in the House, or concerning the Reproof of the
Master, or uttering ill Language against him, or
neglecting his Instructions, or shall encourage
their own or other Children to breaking of the
Rules or Orders herein contained, or endeavour
to prevent or hinder the Execution of any Punishment
inflicted for the Breach of any such Orders,
be by the Master recorded in a Book kept for
that Purpose, and reported to the Committee at
their next Meeting, that by their Authority,
or Admonition, Wickedness, Rudeness, and Irregularity
may be restrained, and Peace and good
Order maintained in the House.

33. That when any Person dies in the House,
their Cloaths shall be lodged in the Store-Room
for the use of the Township, and the Nurse who
attended the Party while sick, shall be required
faithfully to deliver up all the other Goods and
Money of the Deceased to the Master or Mistress
for the use of the House, or be punished if she
purloin the same.

34. That the Master make a minute in Writing of the Faults
or Misdemeanors of every Person
in the House, and shew them to the Committee,
in order that the Offenders may receive
due Punishment for the same; and that the Committee hear any just Complaints against the Master or Mistress.

35. That poor Persons in the House who are
able and in Health be exhorted by the Master to
go to the Parish-Church, or to such other Place of
Worship as they have been accustomed to resort
to, twice every Lord's-Day, and that all such
Persons return Home as soon as the Service is
over; but that such as do not return in due Time,
or are found loitering or begging by the Way,
be punished as the Committee shall direct.

36. That no Person be permitted to use Tobacco at the
Expence of the House, without the Consent of the Surveyors,
who are hereby required
not to allow more than one Ounce to one Person weekly;
but no Tobacco to be smoked in
the House after the Hour of seven in the Evening in Winter, and
Eight in Summer.

37. That the Gates and Out-Doors belonging
to the House be locked every Night at Nine
o'Clock in Winter, and. Ten in Summer, and
the Keys delivered to the Master..

38. That the Master provide such Necessaries
and Refreshments for the Sick as the Apothecary
shall direct, the Master to charge the same in his
petty Expences.

39. That no Person be admitted to visit the
Poor of this House, except on Thursday's in the
Afternoon between the Hours of Two and Four
o'Clock, unless they have a Note for that Purpose;
signed by one of the Committee; and that on such
Thursday's, a Person be appointed by the Master
to assist the Porter in keeping good Order and Regularity.

40. That in Case any Person admitted into this
House shall be found to beg Alms in any part of
the Township, such Person be carried before a
Magistrate, and dealt with according to Law.

41. That the Door between the Committee Room
and the Wicket-Gate leading down into
the Court, be locked every Wednesday during
the Meeting of the Committee, and at other Times
occasionally when the Master shall think fit.

42. That the original Assessment for the Relief
of the Poor, and all other Books .and Papers relating
to the Workhouse be kept in the Committee-Room there, and that none of such Assessments
or other Books be removed our of the House,
without an Order of the Committee, or of one of
his Majesty's Justices of Peace of this Borough;
and it is ordered that every Person before they
shall be permitted to examine any Rate or Assessment in the House, pay to the Master One Shilling, and for Copies or Extracts of any Assessments, Sixpence for 24 Names, and so in Proportion for
a greater or less Number.

43. That all the Rules respecting the internal
Government of the House be read by the Master
in the common Dining-Room once a Month, at
the Time of Dinner.

17th JULY, 1771.

Examined with the Original Draft of
the Rules, as settled at the Vestry.